Garment bag

ABSTRACT

A device which provides a means for carrying large bulky skirts without unduly wrinkling or compressing them. The device in its simplest form comprises a frusto-conical bag having the larger end open and the smaller end closed. The smaller end forms the bottom of the bag and carrying straps extend from the open end. An open-ended cylindrical or frusto-conical shaped section of material is attached to the inside bottom of the bag. The point of attachment may be somewhat inwardly from the outside edge of the bottom whereby the section of material in conjunction with the side of the bag forms an annular cavity. The bottom of the bag includes an open slit. In operation, the skirt, such as a crinoline petticoat, is rolled or folded such that the waistband comprises one end of the roll while the bottom of the petticoat comprises the other end. The petticoat is then inserted in the bag by the operator extending her hand through the slit and into the bag. She then grasps the petticoat at the waistband and pulls the petticoat into the bag through the open end. The height of the bag should be approximately equal to the length of the petticoat such that the lower portion of the petticoat is essentially even with the top of the bag. The annular pocket formed by the section of material and the side of the bag may contain such items as dancing shoes and other paraphernalia. There may be additional pockets attached to the outside of the bag for carrying smaller items, such as badges, lipstick, etc. Thus, the invention teaches a means whereby bulky costumes, such as crinoline petticoats, may be easily and conveniently carried to the social occasions demanding the use of such costumes.

, [22] Filed:

Crain 1 Jan. 2, 1973 s41 GARMENT BAG [76] Inventor: Rita M. Craln, 5419 S. 4th Avenue,

Phoenix, Ark. 85041 Sept. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 181,103

[52] U.S. Cl ..150/30, 150/33, 150/28 R, 190/52, 206/7 H [51] Int. Cl ..A45c 3/00 [58] Field of Search ..-..l50/28 R, 30, 33, 48,50; 190/51, 52; 206/7 R, 7 H, 7 G

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,711,276 6/1955 Keefe ..206/7 H X 2,796,105 6/1957 Hyman ..l50/28 R 3,039,599 6/1962 Mintz ..206/7 G 3,110,333 11/1963 Stember.... ..l50/30 3,180,385 4/1965 Kuroda ..l50/48 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 953,411 3/1964 Great Britain ..150/50 Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-William C. Cahill et al.

[ ABSTRACT A device which provides a means for carrying large bulky skirts without unduly wrinkling or compressing them. The device in its simplest form comprises a frusto-conical bag having the larger end open and the smaller end closed. The smaller end forms the bottom of the bag and carrying straps extend from the open end. An openended cylindrical or frusto-conical shaped section of material is attached to the inside bottom of the bag. The point of attachment may be somewhat inwardly from the outside edge of the bottom whereby the section of material in conjunction with the side of the bag forms an annular cavity. The bottom of the bag includes an open slit. In operation, the skirt, such as a crinoline petticoat, is rolled or folded such that the waistband comprises one end of the roll while the bottom of the petticoat comprises the other end. The petticoat is then inserted in the bag by the operator extending her hand through the slit and into the bag. She then grasps the petticoat at the waistband and pulls the petticoat into the bag through the open end. The height of the bag should be approximately equal to the length of the petticoat such that the lower portion of the petticoat is essentially even with the top of the bag. The annular pocket formed by the section of material and the side of the bag may contain such items as dancing shoes and other paraphernalia. There may be additional pockets attached to the outside of the bag for carrying smaller items, such as badges, lipstick, etc. Thus, the invention teaches a means whereby bulky costumes, such as crinoline petticoats, may be easily and conveniently carried to the social occasions demanding the use of such costumes.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 2 I915 will I NVENTOR.

R/fa M. Cra/n GARMENT BAG The present invention relates to a carrier means for bulky costumes.

Many social occasions require or demand that the participants be bedecked in a variety of different costumes. One such activity is that of square dancing. The women who participate therein traditionally wear full skirts with a plurality of petticoats or a single specially made petticoat. Square dancing involves a great deal of twirling, turning, or otherwise abruptly changing ones course which tends to extend the woman's skirt into a horizontal circle from the more staid vertical drooping. Psychologically, the flaring skirts appear to lend an air of gaiety, frivolity, and showmanship. In many instances, the women pride themselves upon their skill as a square dancer by the amount of time during which their skirt remains in a flared position.

Petticoats suitable for and especially designed for square dancing may, of course, be made in any of several designs, as is well known to those skilled in the art. In brief summary, they are often made of net-like material which may include one or more tiers wherein the material is gathered at each tier so as to extend in a frusto-conical shape. In some cases, the petticoat may involve seventy-five yards of material. Such a petticoat, of course, will be extremely cumbersome and bulky to carry to and from a square dance activity.

Of the presently known devices for carrying these petticoats, none appear to provide a satisfactory means for enclosing and carrying the petticoat. In some, there is a danger of catching or tearing the petticoat, especially if it is made of net-like material, on obstructions, protrusions, zippers, etc. In others, the insertion and extraction of the petticoat leaves much to be desired in that either process may be cumbersome or unnecessarily cause creasing or crushing of the petticoat.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a convenient and handy means for carrying a petticoat Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for carrying a petticoat which includes a storage compartment for ancillary items.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for carrying a bulky petticoat which provides facile means for inserting and extracting the petticoat.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a garment bag which is designed to carry the items comprising a costume normally worn by a female square dancer.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description thereof proceeds.

The present invention may be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garment bag constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom of a garment bag of the present invention.

FIG. 3 Ba cutaway view of a garment bag of the present invention, showing the details of the straps and inner compartment.

Referring to FIG. 1, the garment bag 1 as taught by the instant invention is shown as it would appear when in use. The garment bag 1 itself may be of a frusto-conical shape having the larger end open. Straps 2, 3 extend from the open end of the bag 1 whereby the bag 1 may be easily hand-carried or otherwise maneuvered. There may be a small pocket 4 on the outside of the bag 1 suitable for carrying a variety of small items. The configuration of the pocket 4 may be of any one of a variety of known configurations.

The bottom edge of a crinoline petticoat 5 is shown as partially inserted into the garment bag 1. The edges of the petticoat 5 illustrate that the petticoat has collapsed while being inserted within the bag 1; however, the invention is not intended to be limited to a randomly collapsed petticoat as it may be folded or rolled on the vertical axis prior to insertion in the bag 1. The material comprising the bag 1 may be of any one of a variety of materials. In a model made according to the invention, relatively heavy gauge vinyl was used and found suitable for the bag 1, pockets 4, and the straps 2, 3.

FIG. 2 illustrates in more detail through a cross-sectional view the constructional features of the garment bag 1. The previously mentioned frusto-conical shaped outer portion 6 may be comprised of any of a large family of materials; preferably, it should be of a material having some body to it whereby it will maintain a resemblance of a frusto-conical shape without further additional support. A material which has been found to satisfy this requirement is that of relatively heavy gauge vinyl. It is assumed that leather may also be quite suitable.

The open-ended portion of the bag includes a seam 7 with the material folded inwardly. The bag 1 may be lined, if desired, with any of a variety of lining materials 8. The circular base piece 9 may be joined to the side of the bag 1 by a corded seam 10 to form the bottom of the bag 1. Use of this type of seam, due to the insertion of the cord, provides a relatively firm base, permitting the bag to rest in the upright position. The circular bottom base piece 9 includes a slit 1 l. The length of the slit 11 is primarily controlled by the desired ease in permitting the hand of an operator to be inserted therethrough. In the preferred embodiment, the slit 11 should be designed such that in normal operation the sides of the slit 11 are adjacent one another and thereby inhibit dirt from entering therethrough. If desired, the slit 11 may be designed such that one side of the slit ll overlaps the other. Alternately, a zipper may be incorporated instead of a slit if precautions are taken to prevent the zipper teeth from damaging the crinoline material.

As with the side of the bag, the bottom could be lined with aesthetically pleasing lining material 12.

Material in the form of an open-ended cylindrical or frusto-conical shaped section 13 is attached at one end to the base piece 9. The circumference of the attached end of this section 13 of material is less than the circumference of the base piece 9 itself, whereby an annular space exists between the bag 1 and the section 13. The circular section 13 extends upwardly from the base piece 13 and thereby forms an annular cavity. The material comprising the section 13 may be of vinyl material similar to the bag itself or other material. The cavity may be lined with lining 14 for practical or aesthetic purposes. The upper edge of section 13 may include a seam 15 with the lining 14 attached thereto.

I prised of material similar to that of the bag 1 and folded upon itself to make a double seam such as is well known to those skilled in the art. In the embodiment chosen for illustration, the ends of each strap 2, 3 has dual points of attachment. A first end 16 of the first strap 2 is attached to an upper portion of the section 13, extends upwardly therefrom to the proximity of the inside top edge of the bag 1, and is attached thereto. A second end 17 of the first strap would be similarly attached to the section 13 and to the inside top edge of the bag 1, but circumferentially removed from the first end 16, whereby the strap 2 forms an inverted U. The second straps would be attached similarly but diametrically opposite to the first strap 2. The straps 2, 3 serve a dual function of providing a means for carrying the bag 1 and of providing support for the section 13 to prevent section 13 from collapsing when the bag 1 is in use.

In operation, the miscellaneous items previously mentioned would be inserted within the annular cavity as described. The operator would then insert her hand into the bag 1 through the slit 11 in the bottom of the bag, grasp the waistband end of the petticoat, and draw the petticoat into the bag 1. While being drawn into the bag 1, the petticoat 5 collapses into a more compact mass and fits snugly within the bag 1. The insertion of the petticoat within the bag 1 would necessarily cause a gentle pressure to be exerted against the section 13, tending to displace the section 13 toward the side 6 of the bag 1. The contents placed between the section 13 and the bag 1 would thereby be urged toward the side 6 of the bag 1 and be frictionally held in place within the annular cavity. Thus, there is little, if any, danger of the contents falling out of the bag 1 or otherwise becoming lost due to normal handling. When carrying the bag 1, the mode of attaching the straps 2, 3, as described, maintains the upper edges of the section 13 in an essentially upright position. Thus, the petticoat is protected from soilation due to contact with the items contained within the annular cavity. A small pocket 4 placed on the outside of the bag may be designed to contain small items, such as lipstick, hankerchiefs, bobby pins, etc., that the dancer may wish to use while the petticoat is lodged within the bag 1.

The length of the bag 1 may be approximately equal to the length of the skirt in its collapsed state; that is, the distance between the waistband and the edges of the petticoat: In this manner, by a slight modification of the upper edges of the bag 1, such as the addition of snaps and/or a zipper, a cover may easily be attached to the bag 1 whereby the contents thereof may be fully protected against the elements or soilation of the ruffled edges 5 of the petticoat.

To remove the petticoat from the bag, the dancer may simply grasp the bottom edge of the bag 1 with one hand and pull the petticoat out by grasping the top edge 5 of the petticoat. As the bag 1 is frusto-conically shaped, it approximates the shape of the petticoat when rolled up and even pressure .is exerted by the bag 1 u on the etticoat. Thereb the ossibilit of inur or d mage diie to wrinkles or crushi ng of the petti cozi t IS decreased.

I claim:

1. An inverted frusto-conical shaped garment bag for protecting garments therein; a base piece attached to the smaller end of said garment bag; a slit disposed within said base piece to provide access to the interior of said garment bag through said base piece; means attached to said garment bag for carrying said garment bag, whereby a garment placed within said garment bag may be readily transported.

2. An inverted frusto-conical shaped garment bag for protecting garments inserted therein, comprising:

a base piece attached to the smaller end of said garment bag,

an open-ended, circular envelope having one open end attached to said base piece and forming an annular cavity between said garment bag and said envelope, and

means attached to both said garment bag and said envelope for carrying said garment bag, whereby a garment placed within the space defined by said garment bag and said envelope will be segregated from any contents placed within the annular cavity and readily transportable.

3. The garment bag as claimed in claim 2, wherein a slit is disposed within said base piece to provide access to the interior of said garment bag through said base piece.

4. The garment bag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said circular envelope comprises an open-ended cylinder.

5. The garment bag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said circular envelope comprises an open-ended inverted frusto-conical section having its smaller end attached to said base piece.

6. The garment bag as claimed in claim. 3, wherein the circumference of said circular envelope at the point of attachment to said base piece is less than the circumference of said garment bag at the point of attachment to said base piece.

7. The garment bag as claimed in claim 6, wherein said carrying means comprises a pair of straps, each one of said pair of straps forming an inverted U-shaped configuration.

8. The garment bag as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the respective ends of each said strap is attached to said circular envelope.

9. The garment bag as claimed in claim 8, wherein each one of the legs of said U-shaped configuration is attached to said garment bag in the proximity of the upper edge thereof.

10. The garment bag as claimed in claim 6, including 

1. An inverted frusto-conical shaped garment bag for protecting garments therein; a base piece attached to the smaller end of said garment bag; a slit disposed within said base piece to provide access to the interior of said garment bag through said base piece; means attached to said garment bag for carrying said garment bag, whereby a garment placed within said garment bag may be readily transported.
 2. An inverted frusto-conical shaped garment bag for protecting garments inserted therein, comprising: a base piece attached to the smaller end of said garment bag, an open-ended, circular envelope having one open end attached to said base piece and forming an annular cavity between said garment bag and said envelope, and means attached to both said garment bag and said envelope for carrying said garment bag, whereby a garment placed within the space defined by said garment bag and said envelope will be segregated from any contents placed within the annular cavity and readily transportable.
 3. The garment bag as claimed in claim 2, wherein a slit is disposed within said base piece to provide access to the interior of said garment bag through said base piece.
 4. The garment bag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said circular envelope comprises an open-ended cylinder.
 5. The garment bag as claimed in claim 3, wherein said circular envelope comprises an open-ended inverted frusto-conical section having its smaller end attached to said base piece.
 6. The garment bag as claimed in claim 3, wherein the circumference of said circular envelope at the point of attachment to said base piece is less than the circumference of said garment bag at the point of attachment to said base piece.
 7. The garment bag as claimed in claim 6, wherein said carrying means comprises a pair of straps, each one of said pair of straps forming an inverted U-shaped configuration.
 8. The garment bag as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the respective ends of each said strap is attached to said circular envelope.
 9. The garment bag as claimed in claim 8, wherein each one of the legs of said U-shaped configuration is attached to said garment bag in the proximity of the upper edge thereof.
 10. The garment bag as claimed in claim 6, including a pocket attached to the exterior of said garment bag. 